Children Services workers get raise but must pay more toward health care

October 27, 2013

LISBON - Employees of the county Children Services department will receive higher wages, but also will pay more toward their own health insurance.

Columbiana County Commissioners approved on Wednesday morning the results of a wage and health insurance reopener with The Glass and Potter Workers Union, which represents 22 employees of Jobs and Family Services who work in Children Services.

The agreement gives employees a wage increase of 35 cents per hour on their current base rate of pay. The base rate is on a scale, which is based on education and time of service with the department. Wages once starting at $11.02 per hour will be increased to $11.37, while the highest pay rate on the scale will increase from $17.82 to $18.17 per hour. The wage increases will begin the first of next year.

Additionally, the amount employees receive for being on-call for the week increased from $175 per week to $200 per week. Employees on-call during a holiday week will receive an extra $25 for the week.

However, the employees' share of health insurance will also be increased. Currently, the employees pay 5 percent of their health insurance, while the county pays 95 percent. After Dec. 1, 2013, the employees will pay 7 percent of their health insurance premium with the county paying 93 percent.

In other matters the commissioners:

-Approved the reappointment of Stephen Beadnell to the Board of Developmental Disabilities. It will be Beadnell's second term on the board.

-Approved a contract between the county Child Support Enforcement Agency and the Common Pleas Court to provide magistrate services enforcing support orders. The contract runs from Oct. 1, 2013 - Sept. 30, 2014 and has a ceiling of $116,203.

- Approved a contract between the county Child Support Enforcement Agency and the county prosecutor's office to provide legal services for support cases. The ceiling of this contract is $285,781 and it also runs from Oct. 1, 2013 - Sept. 30, 2014.